


is rlly tattoo

by orphan_account



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: M/M, tattoo artist/florist au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-20 05:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3638622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry tattoos people and Ross gives them flowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. they meet and shit

Barry sighed and looked out the window from his bench behind the counter. It was a slow day, no one had any appointments today, and he really couldn’t put himself to do any paperwork today, even though he knew he was due to get his license renewed.  
He watched the large truck pull up to the open shop front across the road. The window got done last week, “Ross’s Rosies”, sickly sweet. Baskets and bushels of flowers poured out the back of the truck, each carted by a small guy dressed in green.  
The window filled up with flowers of all colors. Barry smiled and got up. Might as well greet his new neighbor. Barry rolled up his sleeves to show off his tattoos and shoved his hands in his pockets. He watched the bricks of the old road as he walked instead of what’s in front of him, his first mistake.  
“Fuck!” said the back in front of him.  
“Shit, sorry.” Barry stumbled back to get a good look at the guy an inch taller than him.  
“Hello, I’m Ross,” Ross shuffled the vase in his arms to get a free hand out to shake. Barry took the hand and shook.  
“I’m Barry, I work there,” Barry pointed behind himself with his thumb, “Can I help you out, or anything?”  
Ross smiled. “That’d be great actually. Just go into the truck and bring out the flowers and shit.”  
“On it.” Barry climbed the ramp in the dark damp truck. On the far side were a couple bags of shit he cared not to investigate, and hanging from the ceiling were some hanging plotters. Barry ducked them and grabbed a big planter’s box of posies.  
As he passed Ross on the ramp, Ross said, “Put those on the counter by the the register.” Barry nodded, despite Rss not being able to see him behind the flowers.  
Barry dumped the box of flowers and looked around the room. It somehow felt like a greenhouse, despite being made of bricks and having a second floor above it. Must be the windchimes. Ross walked in behind him holding two of the trashbags and dumped them behind the counter.  
“Can you grab the other two bags and put them on top?” ross asked, wiping his brow.  
“What’s in them?” Barry asked suspiciously.  
“Bird shit.” Ross said, opening a bag. Barry could see it was a mess of ribbon.  
Barry sighed, “Yeah, fine.”  
Unloading the truck completely took half an hour. And when they were all done They sat on a little garden bench inside, admiring the walls coated in flowers, and the ground dusted in dirt.  
“Thanks for the help man,” Ross said, “You want a beer or something?”  
“Why not, I don’t have any appointments today.”  
“Great!” Ross went into a door, behind which was a staircase, to his upstairs apartment.  
Barry sat on the bench and twiddled his thumbs. He trailed a finger over a tattoo on his wrist and watched the door.  
“Sorry about that, I live up there,” Ross said, throwing the door shut behind him.  
“No big deal, man,” Barry said, narrowly catching the beer Ross had tossed to him.  
“So what do you do?” Ross opened his drink and plopped down next to Barry.  
“Tattoos.” Barry took a sip of his own drink and held out his left arm for Ross to admire.  
“That’s a really good hellebores”  
“Is that how you pronounce it?”  
Ross laughed, “Yeah, do they mean anything?” Ross flipped over Barry’s arm to look at the inside of his wrist.  
“Nope,” Barry smiled and took another sip, “Except that one,” He pointed at a pig near his elbow, “That’s Poogie.”  
“What’s it mean?”  
“Fuck, if I tell you that I might as well tell you my life story,” Barry laughed, “Do you have any tattoos?”  
“Fuck no, needles are terrifying. Although,” Ross handed Barrys arm back to him, “I would consider getting a kirby on my belly button.  
“That would hurt so much for a first timer, bro.”  
Ross pulled his shirt up and looked at his belly button, “Would it though?”  
Barry pulled Ross’s shirt down for him, “Yes, it fucking would.”  
“Maybe on my dick.”  
“I have a strict no genital tattooing policy.”  
Ross shifted to look at Barry with what he thinks is a sultry smile, “Why is that?” he said with a wink.  
“They always end up crying. Or screaming. It’s unnerving.”  
“Oh, I’m not a screamer,” Ross winked again.  
“Are you a light-weight because you must be drunk.”  
Ross laughed and sat back, “Nah man, I’m Irish!.”  
Barry giggled into his beer, “Would’ve guess Australian myself.”  
“Irish-Australian-American,” Ross took a sip of his beer, “All the same really.”  
Barry shrugged, and rolled down his sleeves. “It’s cold in here.”  
“And it’s hot as balls out there, make your choice.”  
Ross was right. In the late august evening, you could boil an egg on the bricks. Barry tried it last year. It tasted terrible. And god forbid you go bare foot.  
“So, you got quite the passion for Kirby? Wanting him on your dick and all?”  
“He’s the only character I can play in smash so, I guess.”  
“You must be miserable to play with.”  
“Fuck you, you’d be blessed to play video games with me.”  
“I’m not to sure.”  
Ross laughed, “I suppose Dan would agree with you.”  
“I don’t know who Dan is but he should,” Barry looked at his watch, “Fuck, I should probably go back. Gotta lock up and shit. We’ll play Smash sometime, cool?”  
Ross stood up, “Yeah, sure man, see you around.” Ross watched Barry cross the street, or, maybe he watched his ass. But Ross would never admit to it.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a while before they talked again. They nodded at each other on the street. But they never really got to playing smash. Ross didn’t know why he was blushing making this delivery, it wasn’t from him. A purely professional delivery.  
Ross crossed the street in his green uniform, and tugged on his apron. His hand was sweating all over the cellophane covered bouquet, and the door jingled as he walked through.  
“For a mister Barry Kramer,” Ross said putting the roses down on the counter where the bored man sat.  
“For me?”  
“From a mutual customer I’m guessing.”  
Barry nodded and picked up the roses, checking the label. “From: Suzy, To: Barry, Thanks for the tattoo babe!” he read.  
“Is she your girlfriend?” Ross asked, shuffling his feet.  
“Oh, no, she’s married. Very lucky guy,” Barry said, “I don’t really have a place to put these though.”  
“I’ve got some vases back at the shop. I’ll get you one, free of charge.”  
Barry stood up, “Oh no, you don’t have to do that, I’ve probably got something upstairs.”  
“O-okay then,” Ross looked at his feet.  
“Thank you though,” Barry had pulled a rose from the bouquet, nearly spilling them all over the ground. He held out the rose to Ross, who accepted it graciously, trying to hide a blush.  
“W-we should really play Smash sometime,” Ross said quickly before running from the shop. Barry watched him go with a bemused smile. 

Barry crossed the street when he knew Ross was off work. He knocked on the door to Ross’s apartment and waited patiently. He knocked a couple more times and when the door was thrown open Ross was wearing a transformers shirt and boxers.  
“Dude I just took my pants off, jesus,” Ross said, stepping aside, “What’s up?”  
“I think it’s time to motherfucking smash,” Barry said solemnly.  
“Indeed. Do come in,” Ross gestured up the stairs, and Barry bowed his head before heading up. Ross blushed as he was perfectly ass height as they climbed up the stairs.  
Ross pointed at the couch, “Start up the Wii if you wanna, I’m gonna go get pants. You want a drink or anything.”  
Barry kicked off his shoes and sat on the couch, “Nah, but you know you don’t have to put on pants, no homo.”  
Ross shook his head and walked into his room, “I can assure you, it’s full homo.” Ross slammed the door as Barry began to fiddle with the tv, not knowing to to turn it on.  
When Ross emerged from his room he asked, “Barry, are you sure you don’t want a drink?”  
“I’ll have something if you’re having something,” Barry said.  
“Cool, what’s your favorite color of kool-aid?”  
“Kool-aid?’  
“Yes, Kramer, motherfuckin kool-aid,” Ross slammed the fridge and looked at Barry, “Does mister tough tattoo man have something against kool-aid?”  
“No siree. Get me a blue one.”  
Ross walked to the couch holding two red koolaid things. “I only had red kool-aid.” Ross said handing Barry one, and starting up the tv.  
“Why’d you bother asking?”  
“I was hoping you’d say red, which is the only flavor worth drinking,” Ross put in the Smash game and tossed Barry a gamecube controller. Ross sat down next to Barry and started the game. Ross chose blue Kirby and Barry chose random.  
“Which level?”  
“Final destination, no items, fox only.” Barry said, nearly poking a hole through the back of his pouch.  
“Jeez I didn’t know I had a crush on a meme-loving fuck.” Ross said, as he chose “random stage”. Ross’s words sat heavy like an elephant.  
“But meme-loving fuck is also a meme,” Barry whispered as blue Kirby and Dr. Mario stared at each other. Ross looked at Barry, but Barry just stared straight forward.   
“Could you forget that maybe?” Ross asked.  
Barry sighed, and looked at Ross, “I-I’d kinda like to give it a try.”  
Ross’s face lit up, “Really?” He asked, Barry nodded.  
“C’mere” Barry placed an arm over the back of the couch so Ross could scooch in. “We’re gonna give this a try,” Barry said when Ross placed his head on Barry’s shoulder. And then Ross kicked his ass in Smash.  
“Why don’t you try a character besides Kirby this time?” Barry asked after their second game.  
“Fuck no, Kirby is the only character I know how to play!”  
“Well, then. I’ll be Kirby too.”  
“Copycat.”  
Barry placed a kiss on top of Ross’s head as Ross selected a stage.  
“The pacman stage, really?”  
“Fuck yes.”  
“You’re a piece of shit, Ross.”  
“I’m your piece of shit.” Barry smiled and said nothing as the two kirby’s fought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh hey it got a little nsfw haha

They traded phone numbers and Barry left. Ross wasn’t sure if he regretted anything or not. The next day he decided to pay a visit, two carnations stuck in his hair. They matched his plaid shirt, and he resisted the urge to skip across the road.  
“Hey, Barry!” The door jingled behind him as he wandered up to the counter. There was no one there, so he taped out a pattern on the bell.  
“Just a second!” Barry shouted, as he wiped off the girl’s wrist. “How about a break?” he asked. He didn’t usually suggest breaks for such small jobs, but she was a first timer, and it looked like she was gonna bleed from where she was biting her fist. He took off his gloves patted her back, and wandered to the front of the shop.  
“Hey, Ross!” He said, pulling the other into a hug. Barry blushed when Ross pecked him on the cheek.  
“Whatcha doing?”  
“Giving like the fifty-thousandth anchor tattoo-” Barry said, but was cut off by Ross’s fervent hand signals as the girl approached behind Barry.  
“Ex-fucking-scuse me? Do you have a problem with my tattoo?” The 20-something was furious.  
Barry spun around quickly, “No, of course not! It’s a really cool design!”  
“Yeah right, dickbag! Stop talking to your boyfriend and finish my tattoo if you wanna get paid!”  
“Sorry, Ross,” Barry apologized and the girl stomped her foot.  
“It’s okay, man,” Ross said taking a flower out of his hair and handing it to Barry, who smiled, tucking it behind his ear.  
“Come back in an hour,” Barry said as he walked back to the tattoo room.  
“My utmost apologies ma’am, that was really unprofessional of me,” Barry said as they both sat down.  
“Well, know you’re not getting a tip,” She grumbled, holding out her wrist and shoving her other fist in her mouth. Barry wondered if she had even planned to give him a tip from the start.  
Ross stared at his feet for a beat and then trudged out into the street. The door’s jingle was less jovial, and he had no trouble repressing the skip in his toes. He flipped the sign on his own door back to open and slumped behind his own counter. He watched the darkened windows of the tattoo parlor and played music from his ipod.  
He watched Barry wave off the newly tattooed girl, who walked away and didn’t return his gesture. And when Barry turned to cross the street, Ross leapt into action to make himself look not pathetic.  
“Hey, Ross!”  
Ross looked up from where he was sweeping the flower, “Mm?”  
Barry walked over, and planted a palm on the counter, “I’m sorry about what happened with that client.”  
Ross leaned the broom against the wall, and stepped right up to Barry, emphasizing the fact that he was just slightly taller, “No big deal,” he placed his hands on Barry’s shoulders, “No big deal at all.”  
Barry stood up straight, put his hands on Ross’s hips and whispered, “What does this little Australian think he’s doing?”  
“I’m not exactly little,” Ross said, smirking at the half inch height difference, before beginning to sway to the upbeat music.  
Barry smiled, “I’m not sure this is the best slow dance music.”  
“Shush, you love it”  
As they swayed past the iPod Barry picked it up and changed the song  
“Barry!” Ross said, when the music changed to something slower, but didn’t complain when Barry pulled him closer.  
Ross rested his arms on Barry’s shoulders, clasping them behind his head, and brought his face to Barry’s.  
The kiss was slow and tentative, Barry’s scruff scratching Ross’s face slightly. Ross moved his arms to plant a hand firmly on the small of Barry’s back, and the other to rest on the back of his neck. Barry’s fingers gripped Ross’s hips and when they pulled apart to breathe, Ross waggled his ass and laughed. Barry shook his head and pressed their lips together again.  
“Maybe I should close up, and we’ll go upstairs,” Ross said on Barry’s neck. Ross winked and Barry let go of him reluctantly.  
Ross flipped the sign on the door and shook his ass as he locked it. Barry laughed and when Ross turned around he took his hands and kissed him again. Barry led the way upstairs, Ross grabbing his iPod as they walked by.  
At the top of the stairs Barry kicked off his shoes and so did Ross, before Barry unbuttoned his shirt. When his shirt came off his shoulders he peeled Barry’s t-shirt off of him, and walked him to the couch.  
Ross laid on the couch and pulled Barry on top of him. Ross trailed his fingers through Barry’s chest hair, and Barry’s hands were planted just above Ross’s shoulders.  
“Are- are you sure?” Ross asked, curling his fingers.  
Barry pecked him on the forehead, “Yeah.”  
Ross smiled and trailed his fingers down Barry’s stomach before resting at his belt buckle.”Uhm..” Ross tapped the buckle nervously and undid it, fingers trembling slightly. He worked the pants off Barry’s hips, blushing slightly when Barry wiggled his hips, seeming to forget his own antics from earlier.  
“Aww, little miss virgin?” Barry asked as he kicked off his pants.  
“Shut up,” Ross murmured undoing his own pants, “So uh, how do you wanna, do it?”  
“Hell if I know, I’ve never been with a dude.”  
“We’ll just see how it goes then,” Ross shrugged, wrapping his arms around Barry’s neck, Barry collapsed on his elbows and their lips met again. Ross wrapped his legs around Barry’s waist and ground up.   
“Fuck,” Barry whispered, feeling the definite boner in Ross’s jeans that were, unfortunately, still there.  
“Baarrrryyy, help me out of my paaaaaants,” Ross whined, rutting against the other man.  
“Jesus, you’re gonna have to let go of me if you want that,” Barry laugh, gently pulling himself from Ross. He pulled Ross’s pants off, taking his boxers with them by accident.  
Ross smiled because jeans are really restrictive, jesus, and reached down for Barry’s striped boxers, working them down and off his ass.   
“Damn, boy,” Ross muttered staring down.  
“What?”  
“Your dick is- uhm, pretty. I guess.”  
“Ross it’s a penis.”  
“A pretty penis.”  
Barry rolled his eyes and bucked his hips down. Ross whined and wrapped his hand around their schlong-a-wongs. Ross moaned pornographically and Barry laughed quietly, latching his lips to Ross’s neck, and Ross moaned again.  
“You better be happy you have no neighbors,” Barry said, thrusting into Ross’s fingers.  
“Who said I have no neighbors?” Ross asked.


	4. Chapter 4

Ross and Barry snuggled on the couch. Ross flipped lazily through Netflix when Barry had a sudden realization.  
“You don’t have neighbors! There’s alleys on both sides of the building?”  
“Hm?” Ross barely acknowledged him, “I’ve heard Pushing Daisies is good, what do you think?”  
“So you didn’t need the ball gag!”  
“I’m not too sure.”  
“You kinky little shit.” Ross smiled and pressed play on the remote.  
“You love that though, don’t you?” Ross whispered as the chipper music began. He felt Barry’s nod on the top of his head.

 

“Barry, I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo?”  
“I’m not tattooing your dick.”  
“Bear, I’m being serious!” Ross kicked the man sitting on the opposite end of the couch.  
“I am also being serious,” Barry looked at ross and grinned, “What were you thinking, babe?”  
Ross crawled over to Barry and held out his arm, “I’m thinking a little hellebore right here,” he said pointing to his inner forearm, just below the elbow.  
Barry smiled holding out his own arm, “Like mine?”  
“Mayyyyybe,” Ross said evasively, trailing a finger over one of Barry’s most recent tattoos, a little snake dancing up his thumb, “Does this mean anything?”  
“No, it doesn’t. I don’t get tattoos for the meaning.”  
Ross leaned over to point at the pig on Barry’s elbow, “You did for that one.”  
“Ross, please, it’s just Poogie. I love Poogie, so I got a tattoo of Poogie.”  
Ross stretched over Barry’s lap like a cat, “When are you gonna get a tattoo of me?”  
Barry began to pet him like a cat and shrugged, “Aren’t matching tattoos enough?”  
“No.”  
Barry sighed, “That spot’s gonna hurt like shit.”  
“You’ve got a tattoo there.”  
“And you cry during sex,” Barry poked Ross in the small of his back, and Ross yelped in surprise.  
“That was one time!”  
“One time I’ll never forget.”  
“You just don’t want me to get a tattoo.”  
“Of course I don’t want you to, you’re my innocent little flower boy.”  
“I’m punk rock! Kevin said so.”  
“Kevin was being nice.” Ross fake gasped and rolled over in Barry’s lap to look into his eyes. Ross shook his head and Barry nodded.  
“Kevin wouldn’t lie.”  
Barry picked up Ross’s hand, “Maybe a little kitten right here,” he poked the back of Ross’s hand as he stretched his fingers.  
“Yeah, a really fluffy one,” Ross said, holding Barry’s hand.

 

“Fuck!” Ross gripped the chair with his left hand until his knuckles were white. Barry was the cause of the burning pain on his right shoulder.  
“The very beginning is the worst, hold in there,” He muttered as he wiped at Ross’s skin. Ross took a deep breath and nodded, pointedly looking at the poster hanging on the wall to his left.  
Ross was nervous, but excited for the tattoo. He was getting a single flower on his right shoulder to begin. He was narrowly talked out of getting “Barry” written on his ass.  
Ross winced when the needle returned to his skin, but soon Barry was wiping again, and pecking him on the cheek.  
“You’re like, one thirds done,” Barry reassured him. Ross just nodded and clutched the seat.  
Barry was right, the pain got more bearable, and Ross was very glad it was his shoulder and not his dick. The tattoo didn’t take long, as Barry had reassured him. His shoulder was getting wiped down, and Barry was giving him an obligatory speech on keeping it clean and out of the sun, knowing that he’d be doing it all anyways.  
Barry handed him a mirror, and Ross poked at the irritated skin, getting his head whacked.  
“Thank you so much. It looks so fucking good.”  
“Nah, it was a really simple design, and I used a transfer-” Ross interrupted his denials with a kiss.  
Ross had stood up, and placed his hands on Barry’s shoulders, “Is rlly good,” he muttered. Barry grinned and pulled Ross closer to him by his waist.


End file.
